


Test Subject

by Dessa



Series: Experimentation [1]
Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Blueberry torture, Ezra Bridger Needs a Hug, Gen, Please Don't Hurt Me, Sorry Not Sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-06-14
Packaged: 2020-02-15 21:33:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 6,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18677773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dessa/pseuds/Dessa
Summary: Darth Vader has captured Ezra, and has plans for the young Padawan, testing out a new device that could spell doom to anyone in the Emperor's way.(Takes place during Season 2)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I can't promise a solid update schedule for this, but I'll try to make it somewhat regular.

The first thing Ezra became aware of was that he was cold. Not “there's a draft” cold, either. No, this was “outside without proper clothing” cold. The second thing he became aware of was that he seemed to be hanging from something. Blinking his eyes open, he saw that he was in some sort of lab or medical bay or something. There were medics or technicians around, and what looked to be a bacta tank. He glanced down, and realized the reasoning for the cold: he was practically naked. He was also hanging from some sort of harness.

 

The sound of a door opening caught Ezra's attention, and it somehow got even colder. “Perfect timing, my Lord. The subject has just come to,” one of the technicians(?) said to the figure entering. Once they entered the room, Ezra knew why it got colder: Darth Vader.

 

The Dark Lord stepped closer to Ezra, and he tried to struggle, but found he couldn't move. Vader looked to the technician who had spoken. “How long until the Imobilin wears off?”

 

The technician looked up from the readouts he was monitoring. “It should be soon, my Lord. Do you want us to administer another dose?”

 

“That will be unnecessary. I assume everything else is ready?”

 

“Yes, my Lord. The Bota extract has integrated with the Ambori and is remaining stable.”

 

“Good. Prep the boy.”

 

Ezra felt himself fill with dread. He had no clue what bota or ambori were, but if it was something Vader wanted, he knew it wouldn't be good. “Wh-what do you want from me?” he rasped out, his body still not wanting to cooperate with him.

 

Vader ignored him, overseeing the technicians who were now bringing some sort of helmet toward him. It was solid black, with no discernible features to it. There were two thick cables attached to it. Ezra had the feeling he didn't want to find out what the helmet and cables were for, but the even worse sinking feeling that he wasn't going to get the chance. They secured it over his head, and Ezra began hyperventilating, as all light and sound were cut off. Were they going to kill him? He couldn't see or hear anything, though the Force told him that no one had left the lab. A sharp pain in his arm made him suddenly smell salt, and then he felt himself involuntarily relaxing. Drugged... they must have drugged him. But what for? It's not like he could answer anything, especially since he couldn't _hear_ anything to answer in the first place.

 

Without warning, he felt himself moving in the harness, before being lowered into some sort of liquid. The bacta tank? But once he was submerged, even through the drug haze in his mind, he knew that this _couldn't_ be bacta. Because even through the drug, he could feel his connection to the Force exploding. He could feel every individual in the lab, and the severe chill that was Vader. It was overwhelming, but though he tried to block it out, he found that he couldn't. Not able to do anything else, he fought to send himself into a Force trance... or at least as close as he could. Eventually, his eyes rolled back and his breathing evened out, as Ezra's mind went blank, lost somewhere in the Force.

\---------------------

The lead technician shifted uncomfortably under Vader's gaze as he monitored the readouts. “Well?” the Dark Lord inquired.

 

“As you predicted, the subject has fallen into a trance-like state. We are monitoring his brain activity. The Skirtopanol seems to be well in effect, if you would like to move to the next phase of the experiment?”

 

Vader turned to the door. “I will return in an hour. Be ready.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, I did the research for this.
> 
> Imobilin is a paralytic from Legends, meant to keep injured patients from hurting themselves more. In this case, it's keeping Ezra still.
> 
> Bota is a Legends plant from planets such as Drongar, that effected a Jedi's connection to the Force. In Legends, it mutated and/or became useless after leaving the planet (made Vader lose control over his abilities), but for the purposes of this fic, it is a Force enhancer that doesn't lose its properties.
> 
> Ambori is also from Legends, and it's the name of the fluid that they use for bacta (bacta isn't the actual fluid). In this case, it's the medium for the bota extract, to create a fluid that enhances the Force connection.
> 
> Skirtopanol is actually canon again! It's a drug that comes from one of the TRPG books (originally from Legends), that's used for interrogations. It takes effect in minutes, and makes the subject lethargic, compliant, open to suggestion, and free with information.
> 
> The helmet is my own invention, which combines a breathing mask, sensory deprivation (the lack of sight and sound), with a mind probe (which is how they're monitoring his brain activity, of course).
> 
> As for Ezra's trance, it's something like the Serenity trance from Legends (apparently it was in Episode 1 and Clone wars, but Wookieepedia lists it as Legends). Obviously, Ezra's not trained to do it properly, so he's just kinda fallen into it accidentally, because of the enhanced connection and how overwhelmed he is.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first test of Vader's experiment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I was in a writing mood, so you guys get another chapter today.
> 
> Published May 1(PST), 2019

It was just over an hour when Vader returned, followed by a group of stormtroopers and a man in binders. The man was secured directly in front of the tank, staring up at confusion at the child's body floating there, and what was going on. The stormtroopers backed away, standing at attention, as Vader stood behind the technician. “Let us begin,” he said.

\---------------------

“There is a man in front of you. Find him.”

 

Something stirred in Ezra's mind when he heard the words. He didn't know how long he'd been in the silence, nor where the voice came from.

 

“Find the man in front of you,” the voice repeated.

 

Ezra reached out with the Force, easily sensing the man in front of him. The man was afraid, but also confused, and concerned? Ezra didn't know what he was concerned about. He'd found him, that's what the voice had told him to do, that was what mattered.

\---------------------

“It's working, Lord Vader,” the technician told him, moving to the side so that the Dark Lord could see the screen. The subject had clearly located the prisoner, as well as done a preliminary scan, picking up the emotions of the man.

 

“Very good,” Vader replied. “I want a scan for any rebel base locations.”

 

The technician nodded, and relayed the instructions into the helmet.

\---------------------

“Find the location of any rebel bases he is aware of.”

 

Ezra frowned. Why? Why would he do that? If it was that important, wouldn't he just ask him? Oh, but he couldn't. He couldn't get to the man to ask. But Kanan had said never to scan someone's mind without permission, and especially not to dig any deeper. It wasn't the Jedi way.

\---------------------

“He's resisting, my Lord.”

 

“Increase the Skirtopanol.”

 

The technician nodded at his associate at the station controlling the various IV fluids that they were pumping into the subject, to keep him docile and cooperative, as well as preserving his health. “Increasing dosage,” the tech replied.

 

“Repeat the order,” Vader told the technician.

\---------------------

“Find the location of any rebel bases he is aware of.”

 

Ezra heard the repeated instruction, but this time he didn't question it. He was told to do it, so why wouldn't he? What was the harm?

\---------------------

“I'm getting locations!” The technician couldn't hide the surprise in his voice. It wasn't that he distrusted Vader's plan (he didn't have a death wish, after all), but he was skeptical it would actually work.

 

“Relay the coordinates to my shuttle. I will confirm these myself.” Vader was pleased. Mind probes were known to be less-than-reliant when it came to Jedi, but between the Padawan's lack of training, the Skirtopanol, and the bota-enhanced Force connection overwhelming him to the point where he couldn't concentrate enough to even attempt to block it, the probe was working perfectly. At least for this test. Further testing would be needed to prove that the child would serve his Master's needs, but, for now, this was satisfactory. If the data extracted proved accurate.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, culmination of my research that I detailed last time. As Vader noted at the end, it's a combination of a lot of things that's getting this to work.
> 
> 1) The Skirtopanol: Since it increases compliance and makes the subject open to suggestion and free with information, this is what's overriding Ezra's common sense that he was taken prisoner and shouldn't be giving the Empire this information.  
> 2) Ezra's sensitivity and the Bota: Since Vader had already encountered Ezra, he'd been able to sense that the boy was highly sensitive to the Force. With the Bota enhancing that even further, it's overwhelming Ezra to the point where the drug has an easy time getting him obedient to the instructions he's being given.  
> 3) Sensory Deprivation: I've done some real-world research into this (forgot to include this with the notes for the last chapter), but I'll admit that most of where I'm getting this from is Sci-Fi (specifically Team Knight Rider, in which a sensory deprivation tank was used for brainwashing). However, Wikipedia does note that in flotation tanks for sensory deprivation, "the theta state can last for several minutes without the subject losing consciousness," which is the just-before-real-sleep state of the mind, where I imagine Ezra is at. Also, there's a quote from a participate in a test in complete darkness for 48 hours "It's really hard to stimulate your brain with no light. It's blanking me. I can feel my brain just not wanting to do anything."
> 
> So, yeah... Ezra's mentally not really there, and that's why the mind probe is working on him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ghost crew has a mission to rescue an informant, but get a surprise while they're there

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posted May 8, 2019

 

Kanan was silent as the four ran down the halls. Well, three of them ran, Chopper rolled on his treads.

 

“Where is the Towani supposedly being held?” Zeb asked, looking at Sabine.

 

“The detention blocks are one level down,” the teenager replied. “He should be there.”

 

The Lasat nodded. “And we're sure he's the source of the leaks?”

 

“Not our decision to make,” Kanan said quietly. Something had felt off to him since they'd been assigned this mission. No, something had felt off to him since they'd lost Ezra. But it felt _more_ off. Not since they'd been assigned the mission, though... since they'd come onto this ship.

 

“Zeb, Sabine.” The two noted the tone in his voice, and stopped and looked at him. “Can you free Towani on your own?”

 

Zeb and Sabine looked at each other. Something was definitely wrong. “Yeah, but...”

 

Kanan cut Sabine off. “There's something else here, and I need to find out what it is. I'm taking Chopper with me.”

 

“Whuh wha woo we woh?”

 

“Because I'm Specter 1.”

 

“Waaah, wuwo whuwa.”

 

Zeb looked concerned. “Are you sure about this, mate?”

 

Kanan nodded. “Yeah. Keep comms at the ready, and rescue Towani. We'll meet back at the ship.”

 

“Be careful,” Sabine warned.

 

“Aren't I always?” Kanan couldn't see Chopper shaking his dome behind him, but Zeb and Sabine's reactions still made him smile. “Let's do this, Specters.”

 

\------

 

He hadn't been certain at first, but the more he moved, the more he realized that the Force was guiding him. Keeping an eye out for any resistance, he stopped outside a door. It appeared to be some sort of lab or medical facility or something.

 

“Chopper, stay sharp.”

 

“Weh wah, weh wah.”

 

Kanan smiled at the droid. He pulled his blaster and made sure the setting was on stun, before opening the door. Inside, there were a number of technicians at consoles... and a figure floating in what appeared to be a bacta tank. Kanan's voice caught in his throat.

 

“Ezra...” he whispered.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I left it off evilly, but, well, you guys got something, that's enough, right?
> 
> I hope I did justice to Chopper's dialogue. When rewatching the series, I really started picking up on what he was saying, from intonation (which I obviously can't do here) and from context. And I really started noticing that you could understand him (example: When Zeb and Sabine are in the lift with Kallus, and he says to trust him, Chopper goes "wauh wah! wauh wah!" which sounded almost like "trust him! trust him!" and Kallus says "see, even your droid trusts me). So I tried to think of what Chopper was saying, and modify that into more warble-sounding text. Lemme know how well I did (and try to guess what he's saying, I guess, too!)
> 
> Oh, and Towani is the prisoner from the last chapter, if you hadn't figured that out. But do you know specifically who he is? I'm using a Legends character for this (with the info you have, there are 2 possibilities you may be able to narrow him down to).


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kanan rescues Ezra.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posted May 14, 2019 (PST)

Surprise. Confusion. Shock. Fear. But not the cold fear that came from the colder one coming in. Behind the cold, though, he felt... warmth? It was definitely the opposite of the cold one. Warmth. Concern. Relief? He wasn't certain. Then the smell of salt hit him, and he knew nothing.

 

~~~~~~~

 

None of the technicians had been expecting someone to burst in on them, and between Kanan and Chopper, they were able to quickly stun or otherwise knock out all of them. Unfortunately, not before one of them was able to hit something on a console.

 

“Chopper, what did he do?”

 

“Wah woweh wo weh!”

 

“Work as fast as you can. And download all of the data here. I want to know what they were doing with and to him.” While the droid worked on the computers, he studied the tank his Padawan was in.

 

At first appearance, it looked like a bacta tank. But Kanan knew that something like that wouldn't be holding Ezra. And it also didn't explain the strange helmet the boy had on. Checking the console nearest to the tank, he found the controls to the tank. Working quickly, he raised Ezra out of the tank, and lowered him down to the floor.

 

He removed the helmet, and was relieved to see that the boy was breathing. “Ezra? Kid?” There was no response. Glancing around, he saw a spare lab coat on the wall, which he covered Ezra's prone body with, after carefully removing the IV and monitoring equipment.

  
“Chop, how's that download going?”  
  


“Wawoh woe.”

 

“Good.” Pulling his comm, he contacted Sabine and Zeb. “Specter One to Specters Four and Five. Status?”

 

“We have Towani. Heading back to the Phantom.”

 

“Good. We'll be on our way soon.” He switched comm channels. “Specter One to Specter Two.”

 

“Specter Two here. I heard you split from the others. What's going on?”

 

Kanan took a deep breath before replying. “We found Specter Six. Alert Phoenix Home that we're going to need medical facilities.”

 

Hera didn't respond for a moment. “I'll contact them immediately.”

 

“Good.” Kanan switched off the comm, focusing again on his student. “Stay with us, kid...”

 

“Wahwoh wowee! Wahwoh wowee!” Chopper exclaimed, pulling back from the console.

 

Kanan wrapped Ezra in the lab coat, before carefully picking him up. “Let's go, Chopper.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, Ezra's rescued! Things should start looking up now, right? I mean, uh, right...?


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They've safely made it back to Phoenix Nest, but is everything alright?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated May 20, 2019

The trip back to Phoenix Home was quiet. The man they'd rescued, Towani, was nervous about them, even though they'd rescued him. Kanan noticed, though, that he was also nervous of Ezra, who was now wrapped in emergency blankets, and still unconscious. He had a feeling that Ezra, Towani, and the leaked base locations were connected.

 

“Sabine,” Kanan said softly, breaking the silence. “When we get back, I want you to work with Chopper. Whatever they were doing with Ezra, Chopper downloaded the data from their terminals. We need that information. The Mandolorian girl nodded, but didn't otherwise speak.

 

“Zeb, I know Sato is going to want to debrief the operation. Hera and I will have to be there, so can you take Ezra to the med bay? Tell them we don't know what's wrong with him, but we hope to get the information on what the Imperials did as soon as we can. Like Sabine, the Lasat nodded.

 

Kanan looked down at his Padawan. “Hang in there, Ezra. We're almost there.

 

~~~~~

 

As Kanan suspected, orders to meet Sato in the conference room were waiting when they landed on Phoenix Home. Chopper and Sabine immediately went to work decrypting and sorting the data, while Zeb carried the unconscious Specter 6 to the medical facilities. That left Kanan and Hera to escort Towani to the debriefing.

 

When they arrived, Ahsoka was there, as well as a couple others that Kanan didn't recognize. Ahsoka squeezed Kanan's shoulder and gave a soft smile, before escorting Towani to his place.

 

“If we are all ready?” Sato asked, and everyone nodded. “Then we shall begin. Recently, there have been attacks against some of Phoenix Squadron's bases, specifically ones that Jeremitt Towani has helped with supplies for. The information is believe to have been leaked by Towani during his capture, from which the _Ghost_ crew has retrieved him, as well as a member of their own team, Ezra Bridger. We'll begin with Towani.”

 

Sato turned to the man, who was shifting nervously in the seat he'd been given. “Can you state your name for the record, and tell us what happened during your imprisonment.”

 

“J-Jeremitt Towani, sirs. I do some transport, and have taken supplies to your bases on the down-low. They grabbed me on a run. Didn't question me or anything. Until they took me to this lab. There was a kid floating in bacta or something, with a helmet on. Couldn't be much older than my Mace, poor kid. They secured me in front of the tank, and told the kid through a terminal to find me. I guess they got the results they wanted, because then they ordered him to find the base locations. He must've resisted, because they had to increase dosage of some sort of drug. And then...” Towani paused for a moment. “I could feel him. In my head. I swear, sirs, I didn't give them the information willingly, or under torture. The kid... the kid ripped it out of my head.”

 

Kanan shivered, imagining what Ezra had been going through. Poor kid was right. At least now he knew why Towani had been nervous around him. Hera squeezed his shoulder.

 

Towani looked at Sato, then at Kanan and Hera. “That's the kid you rescued with me, right? Is he alright?”

 

Hera knew Kanan wouldn't be able to answer. “He's been taken to medical. We're going to check on him as soon as we're done here.”

 

“I hope he recovers. I don't think he wanted to...” Towani trailed off, not wanting to repeat what he'd already said. “My family,” he asked, changing the subject. “Are they alright?”

 

Sato nodded. “We have sent a team to recover them, and will transport the four of you to a safe house.”

 

“Thank you,” Towani replied, sinking down into his seat in relief.

 

“Next we have the issue of Ezra Bridger,” Sato continued, causing Kanan to tense. “We don't know yet what the Empire did to cause him to assault Towani as he did, and, as such, it is imperative that he remain under guard until we can assess this.”

 

“Under guard?!” Kanan exclaimed, jumping to his feet. Hera grabbed his hand, and Ahsoka quietly made her way around the room to place her hand on his other shoulder. “We just rescued him, who knows what they did to him, we can't treat him like a prisoner!”

 

“It's for his own safety,” Ahsoka said, in her gentle, calming way. “It's not like he'll be in binders. Just two soldiers outside the medical bay while he recovers. Remember, rumors spread, and not all of them may include that Ezra is one of us, and didn't willingly give away our base locations.”

 

Kanan deflated slightly, everything finally getting to him. “A-alright... but Sabine and Chopper will decode what they did, and it'll clear Ezra.”

 

“Yes, it will,” Hera told him, squeezing his hand. “Are we done, Commander? We'd like to check on Ezra.”

 

Sato nodded. “Yes, thank you, Captain. We'll let you know any updates.”

 

Hera pulled Kanan toward the door. “Thank you.”

 

~~~~~

 

When they reached the medical bay, Zeb was waiting for them outside the door, trying not to glare at the two nervous soldiers standing to either side of it.

 

“How is he?”

 

Zeb shook his head. “Not good,” he replied, palming the door open and leading them in.

 

Hera gasp, and Kanan froze slightly, seeing their youngest teammate floating in a (real, this time) bacta tank.

 

“He's in a coma. Doc's afraid of giving him much until Sabine figures out what they pumped him with, so they're basically just keeping him stable until they can give more accurate treatment.”

 

Hera turned to embrace Kanan, but Kanan was transfixed on the vision in front of him, and brushed past her. “Hera, Zeb... I need to be alone.”

 

“Are you sure, love...?”

 

Kanan nodded, and Zeb took Hera's arm and led her back out. “Don't forget to get yourself rest, too, mate.”  
  
“I will. Thank you, Zeb, Hera.” Once he heard the door close behind them, Kanan placed his hand on the glass, as close to Ezra's as he could. “I ever tell you, first time I met my Master, was just like this. She was in a coma, and I saw her in a bacta tank. But she woke up, and so will you. Just... don't take six months, kid, okay?” Kanan slid down to his knees, and softly cried.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how much a bacta tank would do for a coma (I'm assuming that Bilaba had other injuries in addition to the coma), but they DID use one for Finn (well, a suit) in the sequel trilogy... and it gives me an excuse to have Kanan recreate the scene where he met Bilaba, which is *totally* not the purpose... okay, yeah, you guys can see right through me, that was the point.
> 
> I have 1-2 more chapters planned, not sure exactly where I'll go after that, but I'm working on it!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just as things may be looking up, they go down again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated May 29, 2019 (PST)

Kanan blinked his eyes wearily. He didn't remember coming back to his bunk. He didn't remember _anything_ after Hera had brought him something to drink during his vigil at Ezra's side.

 

Wait... Hera brought him something to drink...

 

As if on cue, the door opened, revealing the Twi'lek pilot. “I see I guessed right...”

 

“You drugged me!” Kanan yelled at her, trying to get up from his bed but only succeeding in tangling his blankets and nearly falling on his face.

 

Hera had to stifle a laugh. “Love, you were exhausted and needed your rest. You were of no use to Ezra like that.”

 

“That's not... that's not the point!” he insisted, trying to pull his long legs out of the offending material. “You could have just brought me back here without drugging me!”

 

“I tried, if you remember. Multiple times. I even _ordered_ you to bed. And you still ignored me.”

 

Kanan didn't say anything, as he finished untangling himself. “Oh...” he finally muttered. “So... did you need something?”

 

Hera nodded, glad he'd regained his sense, at least for the moment. “Sabine and Chopper have gotten through some of the data. She wants everyone to gather so they can share what they've learned.”

 

_That_ definitely woke Kanan up. “Where are we gathering?”

 

“The common room. We'll start once you and Ahsoka are there.”

 

“Let me get cleaned up.

 

~~~~~

 

Ahsoka was just arriving when Kanan entered the room. Sabine was sitting at the holoprojector, ready to pull up what she'd learned.

 

“So, first off, I've already sent the medics the list of drugs they gave him. They said that they can start flushing them out of his system now.”

 

“What _did_ they give him?” Hera asked.

 

“Imoblin and Skirtopanol,” Sabine replied.

 

“Imoblin, okay, but... what's the other?” Zeb asked.

 

Kanan replied before Sabine could. “Skirtopanol is a truth drug. It makes the subject compliant and open to suggestion. But even with that, I don't see how that would make him take the information out of Towani's mind...”

 

“Well, from what else we found, it seems that that tank you found had something called 'bota extract' in it.”

 

“Bota? Are you sure?” Ahsoka asked.

 

“Yeah, why, what is it?”

 

“Bota is a plant that enhances one's connection with the Force. It's possible that submerging Ezra in it overloaded him.”

 

“Anything else, Sabine?” Hera asked, obviously disturbed by what the Empire did to the teenager.

 

“The helmet. There doesn't seem to be anything overtly special with it, other than blocking out sight and sound, but it was equipped with a mind probe.”

 

“Ain't Jedi supposed to be resistant to those?”

 

“'Supposed to be' is the key there, Zeb,” Kanan said quietly.

 

“With all of this together... added with the lack of formal training, no offense, Kanan.” Ahsoka paused, until Kanan nodded for her to continue. “Ezra likely couldn't think straight enough to block the mind probe.”

 

“So they doped him up and confused him to the point where he followed their instructions, then used the mind probe to gain the information,” Hera said angrily. “When I get my hands on them...”

 

Kanan put his hand on her shoulder. “We'll get them back, don't worry.”

 

Anything else that may have been said was cut off, as alarms cut through the Ghost, coming from Phoenix Home. Ahsoka and Kanan looked at each other, both feeling through the Force that it was something having to do with Ezra, and all of them took off toward the medical wing.

 

~~~~~

 

By the time they reached the medical wing, the alarms had been stopped. However, that didn't lessen their apprehension. “What happened here?” Ahsoka asked authoritatively.

 

“The... the prisoner woke up and attacked one of the medics,” one of the soldiers started, only to be cut off by Kanan.

 

“Prisoner?! Ezra is a member of our crew, a member of this Rebellion!” he insisted, having to be held back by both Hera and Ahsoka. Behind them, it seemed that Sabine was keeping Zeb under control as well.

 

“I-I'm sorry! Commander Sato ordered him be held as a prisoner because of the attack!” The soldier was obviously unnerved by an angry Jedi and Lasat.

 

“Stand down, all of you,” Ahsoka ordered. “Continue with what happened.”

 

“Th—the boy,” the soldier hoped that was a safer word to use. “He attacked the medic, and we had to stun him. Commander Sato ordered that he be restrained and kept sedated until he could better be contained.”

 

Before Kanan could say anything else, Ahsoka cut in. “Thank you. I will speak to Commander Sato, and see if we can sort this out. Continue your duties.”

 

“Y-yes Ma'am...”

 

Ahsoka turned to usher the Specters away, but then turned to the soldier again. “Where is Bridger being held?”

 

“I-in the detention cells, Ma'am...”

 

Kanan's eyes grew dark, and Hera squeezed his arm rather tightly.

 

“Thank you, that will be all.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know what the next chapter (or two) will be, I promise I'll try to get them updated so as to not leave it off this meanly, I swear! (please don't hurt me!)


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get bad, then maybe a little better?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated May 31, 2019

To say that Kanan was pissed by the time they got to the detention cells would be an understatement. His Padawan was being held in _their own_ detention cells! After being rescued! Kanan was going to get him out, or someone would pay.

 

As they neared the cells, Ahsoka gave Hera a look that clearly told her to keep Kanan under control. “Where is Bridger?” she asked, and was pointed to one particular cell, the boy laying unconscious on the bench, ray shield activated as they watched him closely. Additionally, his hands were held in front of him, restrained by a set of binders.

 

“Is all of this necessary?” she demanded, and the soldier ducked his head.

 

“It's Commander Sato's orders, Ma'am. He's to be restrained and sedated. I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do.”

 

The quiet in Kanan's voice surprised everyone. “Let me in.” Everyone looked at him.

 

“Sir, I'm not sure Commander Sato would allow for visitors...”

 

“I'm not a visitor. I'm responsible for him, and I don't expect to come out until I bring Ezra out with me.”

 

“But I--”

 

“I'm allowing it,” Ahsoka replied.

 

“Y-yes Ma'am,” the soldier replied quickly, opening the ray shield so that Kanan could enter. “D-do you need anything, sir?”

 

Kanan shook his head, kneeling down on the floor next to where Ezra slept, his hands on his knees. “We'll be fine,” he said.

 

Hera looked like she wanted to stay, but Ahsoka put her hand on her shoulder. “Come on, we need to speak with Commander Sato. He doesn't know what we just learned.”

 

Hera nodded, and let Ahsoka lead her away, while Kanan started to meditate.

 

~~~~~

 

Sato looked up when Ahsoka and Hera came in. “Commander Tano, Captain Syndulla, I assume this has to do with young Bridger?”

 

“It does, Commander,” Ahsoka said.

 

“You are aware that he attacked a member of the medical staff?”

 

“Under what circumstances, though?” Hera asked. “We have managed to find out a bit of what was done to him, and it seems he was drugged, and may not have been aware of his surroundings.”

 

Sato pulled up the security footage, and showed it to Hera and Ahsoka. In it, it showed the medic checking up on Ezra, when the boy woke up. He started thrashing about, but when the medic attempted to give him a mild sedative to calm him down, Ezra's eyes shot wide open, and the bacta tank burst open, the medic being caught in the fallout of glass and liquid.

 

“That's not an attack! That's a scared child defending himself!” Hera insisted.

 

Ahsoka agreed with Hera, though she was much calmer. “I agree with Captain Syndulla. He was being contained in a bacta-like tank, and kept heavily drugged. As Bridger has been in a coma since his rescue, it is likely that he did not realize that he was in our custody, and lashed out when he realized he was being drugged again.”

 

Sato frowned for a moment. However, whatever he was about to say was cut off, as his comm went off.

 

~~~~~

 

Kanan was pulled out of meditation as he sensed Ezra beginning to stir. A soft groan escaped his Padawan's lips, and the guard moved toward the ray shield controls, a hyposyringe in his hand.

 

“Sir, I need to sedate him.”

 

“No,” Kanan replied, moving next to Ezra.

 

“Sir, it's Commander Sato's orders. We can't let him fully wake up--”

 

“I said no,” Kanan said, barely holding himself back from using the Force to make the man comply.

 

Meanwhile, Ezra was shaking his head slightly, coming out of the drugged sleep. He made a move to rub his eyes, and realized that his hands were in binders.

 

“No no no no no,” he whispered, seeing that he was in a cell and restrained.

 

“Karablast,” the guard muttered, stepping back from the ray shield and grabbing his comm to alert Sato.

 

“Ezra, it's okay, I'm here,” Kanan said, trying to project calmness to his panicking Padawan.

 

“No, they got you too!” Ezra shouted, the air becoming tense with the Force.

 

“Ezra, you're safe!” Kanan called to him, but he wasn't hearing him. Reaching out to the boy, Kanan laid his hand on the side of his head, and projected the Force at him. “ _Sleep_ ,” he commanded softly. Ezra shook his head, trying to escape from Kanan's hand, but Kanan repeated it, pushing the Force more strongly at him. “ _Sleep_ , Ezra. Everything is alright.” Ezra looked as though he would struggle more, but his Master was stronger than he was, and the boy's eyes closed, as his tense body relaxed and his breathing evened out into sleep.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the last one I currently have planned out (probably), but don't worry, I'm not gonna abandon this. Pretty sure I'm not allowed to.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things start to look up for the better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated June 1, 2019 (PST)

“Sato,” the man answered his comm, turning from the two women.

 

“Sir, the boy is waking up, and the Jedi won't let me sedate him!”

 

Sato glanced at the women, but before he could say anything, the guard responded again.

  
“He-- the Jedi put him to sleep! I don't know how he did it, but...”

 

“The boy is under control, then?” Sato clarified.

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

“That is fine. Keep me apprised of any changes.”

 

“Yes, sir!”

 

Sato turned off his comm, and turned to Ahsoka and Hera.

 

“Kanan calmed him down...” Hera said softly.

 

“As long as he views himself as imprisoned, Ezra will not stay calm without intervention,” Ahsoka added. “We understand your concerns, Commander, but, as you can see, Ezra is _not_ a danger to anyone here. If you feel he should remain supervised... I will take charge of him.”

 

“Commander Tano, I agree with you that the boy is likely no danger. If you are willing to take charge of him, I will have him transferred to your quarters.”

 

“Thank you, Commander. Please have them bring both Kanan and Ezra to my quarters as soon as possible.” Ahsoka took Hera's shoulder, and led her out of the door.

 

“Ahsoka...” Hera started, but Ahsoka silenced her.

 

“They will be alright. Kanan and I can help Ezra, and he'll recover, Hera. Trust me.”

 

“I do, Ahsoka... I do...”

 

~~~~~

 

Kanan was carrying Ezra, bridal style, when they arrived at Ahsoka's quarters. She dismissed the guards who had accompanied him, and showed Kanan inside. Her quarters were modest, a main room and a 'fresher, with an area set aside for a kitchenette, and a curtained off area for sleeping. She held the curtain back, indicating for Kanan to set Ezra on the bed. The binders had long since been removed, and when Kanan laid the boy down, he subconsciously snuggled into the mattress. Kanan chuckled slightly, and covered the boy with the blanket, before joining Ahsoka in the main section.

 

“How is he?” Ahsoka asked.

 

“Sleeping,” Kanan replied. “He was so terrified, when he woke up in the cell... I think he thought I'd been captured along with him. It was all I could do to calm him enough to sleep again.”

 

“He'll be alright, Kanan. You have to believe that.”

 

“I do, Ahsoka, I do...”

 

“Then let's meditate, until he wakes up.”

 

~~~~~

 

Ezra groaned softly, curling up on his side, snuggling further into the warm blanket.

 

Wait...

 

Warm blanket? Soft mattress? _Pillow_?! Ezra opened his eyes, blinking in the dim light. He was on a _bed_ , unbound. He sat up, swaying slightly, then stumbled to the curtain and moved it to the side.

 

“Kanan? Ahsoka?” he asked, before tripping over his own feet and falling forward.

 

Kanan moved quickly, catching the boy, and guiding him to where the two sat. “You had us worried,” he told his student.

 

Ezra smiled softly at Kanan, obviously not all there yet. “Sorry, Master...”

 

Kanan helped Ezra to a kneeling position on the floor, and smiled when the boy leaned against him. He wrapped his arm around Ezra's shoulders, squeezing his Padawan's shoulders. “It's alright.”

 

Ezra's eyes closed slightly, relaxed and calm, but not in danger of falling back to sleep.

 

“Ezra,” Ahsoka said softly, and his eyes glanced at her. “I don't want to ask, but we have to know... What did the Empire do to you?”

 

Ezra looked down. “I... I don't remember. Everything is fuzzy.”

 

Kanan tightened his grip on the boy. “It's alright.”

 

Ahsoka nodded and smiled softly. “It's to be expected, with the drugs they gave you. There is... one option we have, though.”

 

Ezra and Kanan both looked at her, Kanan meeting her eyes. They'd discussed this possibility, and the best way to do it without traumatizing Ezra further.

 

“Ezra, we'll have to look into your mind,” Kanan said quietly. “But... to do that, you'd have to relive what happened.”

 

“No!” Ezra shouted, trying to pull away from Kanan, but the older man held him tight.

 

“Ezra, hold on, we're not done.”

 

“To avoid you reliving it... we can place you in a trance. It would be like meditation, but you would be completely unaware of what is happening both around you, and within your mind. You would relive it, but you wouldn't be aware of it. It's the only way to avoid...” Ahsoka knew she didn't have to finish her statement for Ezra to understand.

 

“So... you guys would see what happened, but I wouldn't?” Ezra tried to hide the uncertainty in his voice, but wasn't successful.

 

“That's exactly right,” Kanan assured him.

 

“O-okay, then. What do I have to do?”

 

“Close your eyes, and even out your breathing, the same as if you were meditating.”

 

Ezra nodded, doing so. Kanan let go of him, letting him support himself. He nodded to Ahsoka, who placed her hands on either side of Ezra's face, and touched her forehead to his. Instantly he let out a sigh, and relaxed even further. Kanan shook his shoulder, but got no response, confirming that the boy was solidly held in the trance.

 

“Are you ready for this, Kanan?” Ahsoka asked, not moving from her position. “I can do this on my own.”

 

“No, he's my Padawan, I need to know.”

 

“Alright, then,” she replied, moving one hand from Ezra's face to offer it to Kanan. The other Jedi took her hand, and closed his eyes. Ahsoka closed hers again, and they entered Ezra's mind.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I decided that this will now be a multi-part fic. I figure 1-2 more chapters for this part, and then 2 parts after this. It may be a while for Parts 2 and 3, since I'm not entirely sure how I want to do them, but this one will definitely leave off in a good spot!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hugs~! And worry. But HUGS~!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated June 3, 2019 (PST)

When Ahsoka and Kanan came out of Ezra's mind, both were reeling from what they'd seen. “H-how could they do that to him? Treat him like a cog in a machine?!”

 

Ahsoka smiled softly at him, though her heart was breaking as well. “We'll help him through this.”

 

Kanan nodded, then moved to pull Ezra into a hug again, when Ahsoka stopped him.

 

“Wait,” she told him, still holding the boy in the trance. “You're angry and upset. If he comes out while you're like this, he's going to feel it and think it's for him. I can take care of him, you go and cool down. Let the others know what we learned, and calm yourself down.”

 

He couldn't argue with her reasoning. “Alright... you know how to get a hold of me,” he said softly, leaving her quarters.

 

She waited until he was far enough away, before waking Ezra up.

 

He blinked his eyes a few times, looking at Ahsoka, then turning to find Kanan.

 

“Kanan's not here.”

 

The boy's eyes went wide. What had Kanan seen, that--

 

“Stop, Ezra. It's not that Kanan isn't here because of you. He's upset at what the Empire did, and we didn't want it affecting you, after all you went through.”

 

Ezra looked down, trying to hold back the tears. She told him it wasn't his fault, but if he'd never been captured...

 

“Come here,” she said, reaching out to him. Without looking at her, he leaned in, letting her wrap her arms around him. Ezra gave up on holding back the tears, and clung to her, releasing all of the emotions that he'd had since he was first captured. Without saying anything, Ahsoka held one hand to the back of his head, and rubbed his back with the other. They stayed like that for a while, until Ezra had sufficiently calmed down.

 

“Thank you,” he whispered to Ahsoka, not moving.

 

“You're welcome.” She looked at him, checking how he was doing. “Your body is still trying to flush itself from all of the drugs. You still need to rest.”

 

“I feel like all I've been doing is sleeping,” Ezra complained, but let her lead him back to the curtained area.

 

“Natural rest will help you heal better than drugged sleep.” Ahsoka helped him lay back down on her bed, covering him with the blanket as Kanan had earlier.

 

“Sorry for taking your bed,” he muttered, already half asleep.

 

“It's not a problem, Ezra,” she replied, kissing him softly on the forehead, before returning to her meditation.

 

~~~~~

 

Kanan stumbled to the _Ghost_ , not calmed at all from what he'd seen.

 

“Love?” Hera's voice called out to him. He didn't respond. “Kanan?”

 

He finally looked up, and walked straight to Hera, pulling her to him in an embrace. “They used him as a machine,” he told her.

 

“Come on, come inside, and tell me what happened.”

 

Hera led Kanan to the common room, sitting him down as she briefly went to the galley to make him a cup of caff.

 

“They drugged him out of his mind, then hooked him up to probe his mind. When he didn't obey them, they increased the dosage.”

 

She put her hand on his arm, as she sat next to him and slid the caff over to him.

 

“Did they do anything other than get the information from Towani?”

 

Kanan shook his head. “No, and that's what doesn't make sense... They could have used a mind probe on Towani to get that information. Hell, Vader _himself_ was there, he could have gotten the information from Towani. Why use Ezra? What were they after?”

 

The Twi'lek looked down. “I don't know, Kanan, I don't know... but I have a feeling we don't want to know, either.”

 

“I feel the same, Hera... but if this was just a test... what was it for?”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter to go!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezra finally gets back to the Ghost, and feels are had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated June 14, 2019 (PST)

It was a happy reunion, when Ahsoka brought Ezra back to the _Ghost_. Kanan was already at the base of the ramp, placing his arm around the boy's shoulders, leading him up, with Ahsoka following behind. The others were waiting inside, and everyone swarmed Ezra, wanting to give a big group hug.

 

Ahsoka hung back, watching. Kanan looked over at her, as if to invite her to join them, but she shook her head. This was a family thing. When she looked back, Kanan was still watching her, and nodded his head toward Ezra. Eyes widening, she joined them, adding to the hug next to Kanan.

 

She just barely heard his words.

 

“For Ezra, you _are_ family.”

 

~~~~~

 

It was agreed that, until they knew Ezra was completely back on his feet, that he'd be staying in Kanan's room. Not because Zeb couldn't take care of him just as well, but because, if needed, Kanan could help him in ways that only he could. And so, in the middle of the night cycle, when it was pitch black and silent in Kanan's room, and Kanan was woken up by Ezra's screaming, he was instantly there.

 

“Ezra, shhhh, it's okay...” he said softly, placing his hand on Ezra's arm, as he used the Force to turn on a soft light.

 

“K-kanan...?”

 

“I'm here, you're fine...”

 

“It was too dark... too quiet... I thought I was back there...”

 

Kanan gently pulled him off the top bunk, and sat him down on his own, next to him. He wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulders, and rubbed his arm. “You're not back there. You're here, and you're safe.”

 

“Wh-what if they get me again?”

 

“We won't let that happen. Me, Hera, Ahsoka, everyone else... we're all here for you.”

 

“What did V-v—he want?” Ezra couldn't bring himself to say the Dark Lord's name.

 

“We don't know. Sabine and Chopper will go through anything else we got, but there didn't seem to be much information.”

 

“Wh—what if they go after someone else?”  
  
“Then we'll stop them, and rescue them. We're not going to let this happen again to you or anyone else.”

 

“O-okay...” Ezra stiffled a yawn. It was still the middle of the night.

 

“Let's go to back to sleep.”

 

Ezra tried getting up, but Kanan wasn't about to move Ezra back up to the top bunk. “No, stay here. I'll try to calm any nightmares you have.”

 

“But...”

 

“Don't make me Force you back to sleep, Padawan.”

 

“Yes Master,” Ezra yawned, laying back and making himself comfy on Kanan's bed, his Master laying down beside him, a hand still on his shoulder. It was only moments before the boy was asleep, and Kanan followed soon after.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this is the end of Test Subject. Obviously, we have one MAJOR question remaining, namely, what did Vader want. This will be answered in the sequel to this. It's currently unnamed, but will take place during Season 4. However, as I want to keep this as canon-compliant as possible, I'm going to wait to write any of it until after I can read Thrawn: Treason next month, because Treason overlaps with Season 4, and given that my plan is for it to be VERY late S4, Treason may give me some insight/ideas.


End file.
